No abstract available.
Dysentery, Amebic ; Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous ; Sigmoidoscopy

Sigmoidscopy is thought to be one of the basest and most essential tools for evaluation of colorectal patient because it could be performed in an out patient clinic with only minimal bowel preparation. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the patient's best position for sigmoidoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 4, 1997 and April 18, 1997, all patients who visited the colorectal clinic at the Dept. of Surgery, Korea Veterans Hospital were alternately underwent sigmoidoscopy in these four different positions: supine(S), left lateral(L), right lateral(R), and jack-knife(J). Sigmoidocopy was routinely performed for all patients who had lower gastrointestinal problems and was done by two well traind surgeons who had performed more than 100 sigmoidoscopies previously to this study, The patients who could not be tolerate insertion of the total length (60 cm) of the sigmoidoscope due to poor bowel preparation and/or complete obstruction by a mass were excluded. We evaluated the patient's complaints according to minimal, moderate, and severe discomfort and time between start and complete insertion of the 60 cm length of the sigmoidoscope. Statistical analysis was performed by an appropriate Anova test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: There were no differences among these four groups relative to age(5; 58.0+/-12.7, L; 64.3+/-10.0, R; 62.0+/-10.1, J; 56.0+/-12.9), gender(5; 76%, L; 70%, R; 72%, J, 83%,male ratio), degree of discomfort (mild: 42.9% (5), 50% (L), 33.3%(R), 66.7%(J), moderate: 42.9%(5), 34.6%(L),25%(R), 13.3%(J), severe: 14.3%(5), 15.4%(L), 41.7%(R), 20%(J)) and duration of insertion of the sigmoidoscope(5; 264.4 +/-192.9, L; 226.5 +/-267, R; 301.6+/-361.3, J; 202.5 +/-117.8 seconds). Also, there were no statistical significances between the two groups according to the surgeon who performed the procedure. CONCLUSION: The best position for sigmoidoscopy does not depend on the patient's position. Therefore, allowing the patient to change his position during the procedure would be the best way for an easy and comfortable sigmoidscopy.
Hospitals, Veterans ; Humans ; Korea ; Sigmoidoscopes ; Sigmoidoscopy*

Although malignant melanoma usually occurs after the diagnosis of vitiligo-like depigmentation, the latter is rarely followed by the former. We herein report on such a case in which recognition of the vitiligo-like depigmentation preceded diagnosing the metastatic melanoma by several months. A 56-year-old woman had first developed vitiligo-like depigmentation on the forehead, eyelids, neck and back 18 months previously and thereafter she detected a hard mass in the left axilla 2 months previously. Based on the histologic findings, the axillary mass was diagnosed as metastatic melanoma. To evaluate the primary tumor focus, thorough examinations that included PET-CT, bone scan and sigmoidoscopy were performed, but we couldn`t find any the original primary tumor. Our case suggests that the vitiligo-like depigmentation could be a sign that heralds metastatic melanoma.
Axilla ; Eyelids ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Sigmoidoscopy

A series of 510 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix given the curative radiation therapy from March 1979 through December 1986 was evaluated to determine the value of intravenous pyelography(IVP), cystoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and abdomino-pelvic CT as staging work-up prior to treatment. On IVP and cystoscopy, 10.7%(49/456) and 5/3%(24/452) showed abnormality, respectively, but only 0.7% (3/413) did on signoidoscopy. As a result of these work-ups prerequisite to FIGO staging, twenty six (5.1%) out of 510 patients were upstaged from the stage determned by the findings of physical examination alone. The proportions of upataging in each stage were as follows none in stage IB(35), IIA (89) and IIIA(8), 7.9%(20/252) in stage IIB(14 patients to FIGO Stage IIIB, 6 patients to FIGO stage IVA), and 4.8% (6/126) in stage IIIB (all to FIGO stage IVA). Positive findings of staging work-ups were found only in patients with advanced stages of stage IIB or over determined by physical examination alone but not in those with earlier stages. CT was performed in 337 patients. CT detected pelvic lymph node (LN) enlargement in 25.2% (85/337) and paraaortic LN enlargement in 7.4% (25/337). Pelvic LN positivity was well correlated with increasing stage but paraaortic LN positivity was not. In the evaluation of parametrial involvement, CT findings were in accordance with those of physical examination only in 65.6%(442/674). When compared with endoscopic studeies, CT had much lower positive predicitive value than negative predicitive value in the evaluation of adjacent organ invasion. The staging work-ups should be individualized by the disease extent of each patient, and then the efficiency of work-ups may be increased without compromising the appropriate FIGO staging and treatment.
Cervix Uteri* ; Cystoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Physical Examination ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Colorectal injury related to anorectal manometry is very rare and is mostly associated with previous rectal surgery. We experienced two cases of colorectal injury related to anorectal manometry in patients without a history of surgery. The anorectal manometry finding of the first patient suggested rectal hyposensitivity, and the maximum tolerable volume was measured as 350 mL. After anorectal manometry, she complained of hematochezia. Sigmoidoscopy showed a deep 5 cm ulcer with vessel exposure at the rectum. She recovered after conservative treatment. In the second case, rectal bleeding occurred while measuring the maximal tolerable rectal volume. A 2.5 cm mural defect and 4 cm mucosal defect were detected in the rectosigmoid area at sigmoidoscopy. Computed tomography showed intraperitoneal free air around the distal sigmoid colon. She improved after conservative management. We suggest that anorectal manometry be performed with great caution, even in patients without a history of surgery.
Colon, Sigmoid ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intestinal Perforation ; Manometry ; Rectum ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Ulcer

Actinomycosis is an indolent, slowly progressive infection caused by actinomyces species that normally colonize the mouth, colon, and vagina, characterized by sulfur granule formation. Actinomycosis can affect multiple organs, with local or systemic manifestations. The abdomen is involved in less than 20% of the cases with the ileocecal area being the site most frequently affected. The anorectal region is less frequently involved. We report a case of anorectal actinomycosis, which was diagnosed by histologic study of sigmoidoscopic biopsy. The patient was a 40-year-old man who took immunosuppressive agents after kidney transplantation. Adequate surgical excision was done, being followed by administration of massive dose of a penicillin.
Abdomen ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Colon ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Kidney Transplantation ; Mouth ; Penicillins ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Sulfur ; Vagina

PURPOSE: Small-sized carcinoids, less than 1 cm, are easily detected using flexible sigmoidoscopy or total colonoscopy and can be treated by local excision. Recently, there has been many advances in the technique of endoscopic resection. The aim of this study was to determine the endoscopic findings of a rectal carcinoid and to evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic resection. METHODS: We experienced 22 rectal carcinoids in 21 patients who were treated by endoscopic resection from June 1996 to February 1999. Nineteen cases were followed for an average of 21 months. Follow-up studies consisted of chest P-A, hepatic ultrasonography, and total colonoscopy. RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio was 1.6 to 1. The most common age group was the 4th decade. The tumor was located at the lower rectum in 10 patients, at the upper rectum in 10 patients, and at the rectosigmoid junction in 2 patients. The tumor sizes ranged from 3 to 12 mm in diameter and were smaller than 10 mm in 20 cases (90.1%). Endoscopic finding revealed that the tumors were covered by a normally appearing mucosa in 12 cases, were yellow-discolored polyps in 17 cases, and were sessile-type tumors in 19 cases. The method of treatment was an endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR, 14 cases) or a snare polypectomy (8 cases). Microscopically positive margins were noticed in four cases, two cases of EMR (2/14, 14%) and two cases of snare polypectomy (2/8, 25%). All the patients were alive and clinically free of disease; however, the duration of the follow-up is short. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic resection for rectal carcinoid tumors smaller than 1 cm in diameter is a safe, functional, time-saving, and effective treatment. If the tumor suggests a carcinoid, EMR is advised rather than a polypectomy even though the tumor is small. Microscopically positive margins are not absolute indications for further surgery in the treatment of carcinoids smaller than 1 cm in diameter. It is much more important for an endoscopist to be confident that the endoscopic resection is done completely. It is necessary to identify the factors influencing the malignancy potential and to have a longer follow-up.
Carcinoid Tumor* ; Colonoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Polyps ; Rectum ; Sigmoidoscopy ; SNARE Proteins ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography

Malakoplakia is an uncommon granulomatous disease most frequently found in the bladder or ureter. Howevcr, it has been reyorted in almost every ather organ and structure, the colon is the most common site of malakoplakia outside the urogenital tract and colonic carcinoma is the most commonly associated disease. A case of malakoplakia of the colon in a 54-year-old female is reported. Sigmoidoscopy revealed multiple whiteyellowish nodules simulating polypoid lesion at 10cm from the anal verge. The biopsy showed characteristically comprised submucosal proliferations of histiocyte and chronic inflammatory cells with typical cytoplasmic inclusions known as Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. Intravenous pyelogram showed no evidence of involvement of the urinary system. These nodules were removed by endoscopic polypectomy, So far, this is the first case of isolated colonic malakoplakia in Korea.
Biopsy ; Colon ; Female ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Korea ; Malacoplakia* ; Middle Aged ; Rectum ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer is regarded as preventable with routine checkups. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of each test performed during routine checkups and to assess the clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer detected at the Health Promotion Center (HPC). RESULTS: We recruited 120 colorectal cancer patients identified on routine checkup at the HPC. The control group was composed of 3,829 colorectal cancer patients who underwent surgery during the same period. Clinicopathological variables were compared using the chi-square test. RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio was 79:41; the mean age was 57.9 (30~78) years. The incidence of right colon cancer was 16.7%, and that of left colon cancer was 83.7%. Sigmoidoscopy (55.5%), colonoscopy (28.3%), and fecal occult blood tests (FOBT, 10.8%) were used for detecting colorectal cancer. The overall positive rates of FOBT and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were 28.3% and 20.8%, respectively, but were higher in advanced colon cancer (49.0% and 31.4%) and right colon cancer (60% and 25%). Early colorectal cancer was more frequent in the study group (54.9%) than in the control group (16.9%, P<0.001). Right colon cancer was significantly associated with advanced colon cancer (80%), and left colon cancer was associated with early colon cancer (62.3%, P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopy, including sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy, played a crucial role in detecting early colorectal cancer at the HPC. Including endoscopy in basic routine checkup programs should help to increase early detection of colorectal cancer.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Endoscopy ; Health Promotion* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Occult Blood ; Sigmoidoscopy

Trichuriasis is an intestinal infection of human beings caused by Trichuris trichiura, more commonly known as whipworm because of its whip-like appearance. It is characterized by the invasion of the colonic mucosa by the adult trichuris. It is prevalent throughout the world, especially in tropical areas. Diagnosis is made typically by the identification of characteristic barrel-shaped eggs in the feces, although adult worms may be seen rarely at sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. We report five cases of whipworm infection that was diagnosed on colonoscopic examination.
Adult ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis* ; Eggs ; Feces ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Ovum ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Trichuriasis ; Trichuris